Please welcome Jennifer Lutz, a home décor stylist and author of Christmas Tree Market Blog. Jennifer has some hints for sprucing up your Valentine’s Day décor tomorrow, without all the usual hearts and doilies. Please take it away Jennifer, and help us get our homes gussied up and festive in a more modern way!

Decorating for the holidays is an opportunity to create a display that’s all your own. However, with a holiday like Valentine’s Day, it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of frills, lace, and paper hearts. Put a more modern, subtle twist to your Valentine’s Day décor this year with these simple yet lovely DIY home decorating ideas.

Photo by Jennifer Lutz

Create a Valentine’s Day Mantel Display

The living room is the perfect place to decorate for Valentine’s Day—there’s enough space that you can create a Valentine’s Day look without overwhelming your family or guests. To create your perfect Valentine’s Day mantel, try using any of these charming home décor ideas.

Photo by Jennifer Lutz

Combine Books and Flowers

Placing books and flowers on your mantel makes for an elegant yet affordable Valentine set-up. Display some of your books with their spines upright on your mantel as you would on your bookshelf. Then, place some tulips inside a mason jar filled with water, and display them next to the books to create a simple Valentine’s Day decoration. For a more traditional but still low-key look, books with red and pink spines, or even stories themed around love, would be a sweet touch. You can also add more visual interest if you place some books lying down and then putting a clock or a photo on top of the stack.

Photo by Jennifer Lutz

Utilize Twigs and Vases

Another Valentine idea is to bring the outside in. Grab a handful of twigs lying around in your yard, and place them in tall hurricane glasses or vases. Fill up the vases with white beads or decorative balls to keep your twigs upright, then place them anywhere on your mantel. For balance, ready two twig vases and place them on both ends of your mantel. This look works not only for Valentine’s Day, but for winter décor as well.

Photo by Jennifer Lutz

Drape a Valentine’s Day-themed Garland

Make your Valentine display even prettier with a DIY garland. Buy some red and white pompoms at your local store, and use baker’s twine to string them together. Simple and adorable, this garland ties the Valentine’s Day theme together.

Make Use of Candles

Round out your Valentine’s Day display with candles. Place candles of various sizes along the length of your mantel to create some more visual texture. You can stick with white candles, or if you prefer to give your display a Valentine boost, use red or pink candles.